Repeated flooding underneath an Oxfordshire bridge has been fixed after the drainage pumps were cleaned.

Oxfordshire County Council said the flooding of Marsh Lane below Marsh Railway Bridge in Didcot had been caused by a build-up of sludge in the pumps supposed to drain the water.

It said the problem had been fixed after the latest flooding today saw motorists having to divert around the town to avoid deep pools of water that had formed.

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A spokesman said: “Problems with the flooding are believed to have been caused by a build-up of sludge in the pumps, but this has now been fixed.

“Oxfordshire County Council has been working with colleagues from South Oxfordshire District Council and Network Rail to resolve the issues caused by flooding at this location and to alert drivers to the problems.”

The fix follows repeated issues of flooding over the last year, which were described by a member of the public at an annual town meeting on Monday, March 20.

Oxford Mail: Cars were forced to divert around the town this morning after heavy floodingCars were forced to divert around the town this morning after heavy flooding (Image: Ian Snowdon)

The man said: “Just over 25 years ago, the new Marsh Bridge was built. Before that, this council had a number of meetings with county planning officers about the arrangements of keeping it dry.

“There are supposed to be two pumps, one of which would kick in when the other failed. We were assured that they would keep it dry

“It’s been anything but dry over the last year or so and in particular it’s been really bad in February.”

When asked what would be done about it, county councillor David Rouane said: “We report it, they come out with their spanner they fix it, and then it fails again.”

Councillor Mocky Khan said it was important to fix the flooding because it is “such an important junction.”

He said: “Whenever it floods, it has a huge impact on congestion in the town.

“I know it has been looked at once and they’ve tried to look at the drainage but since then it’s come back again.”

MP David Johnston joined district councillor Ian Snowdon to look at the flooding this morning.

He said: 'Time and time again serious flooding underneath Marsh Bridge causes problems for Didcot residents going about their daily lives.

“I was grateful to Cllr Ian Snowdon for bringing me to see the latest flood and the traffic it is causing in the town centre and the council should listen to his campaign to get the situation sorted permanently.”

Cllr Snowdon said “Every person who has lived in Didcot all their lives like me knows why that area is called Marsh Bridge – it floods all the time.”